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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

The Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers defensive back Jermaine Whitehead chases Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers fans show their nerves late in the game againt the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers fans watch a flyover after the national anthem before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws in the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) runs the offense in the first half during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass in the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers running back Jamaal Williams (30) carries the ball late in game against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) runs off the field during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings kicker Daniel Carlson (7) reacts as he misses a field goal in the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham (80) can't hold on to a pass on the goal line against triple coverage by the Minnesota Vikings in the second half at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) scrambles out of the pocket against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (52) rushes quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) and was called for roughing the passer on the play against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, September 16, 2018 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WIs. Jim Matthews/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) waves to the crowd after a 29-29 tie against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers defensive back Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (21) runs the ball back after an interception in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is pressured in the fourth qaurter by Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby reacts after missing a late fourth quarter fieldgoal against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby reacts after missing a late fourth quarter fieldgoal against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers' Jaire Alexander reacts to a missed field goal by Minnesota Vikings kicker Daniel Carlson in overtime during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers' Geronimo Allison catches a pass in front 0f Minnesota Vikings' Trae Waynes during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) scores a touchdown against Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) late in the fourth quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Vikings scored a two point conversion to tie the game. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrates scoring a touchdown against Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) late in the fourth quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Vikings scored a two point conversion to tie the game. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) scores a two-point conversion to tie the game late in the fourth quarter aginst the Green Bay Packers during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) celebrates scoring a two-point conversion to tie the game late in the fourth quarter with running back Dalvin Cook (33) against the Green Bay Packers during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy leaves the field after a 29-29 tie against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) walks off the field during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) walks off the field after a tie against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 16, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings' Adam Thielen scores a late fourth quarter touchdown during against the defense of Green Bay Packers' Jaire Alexander and Kentrell Brice during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings' Adam Thielen scores a late fourth quarter touchdown during against the Green Bay Packersduring their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game ended in a 29 to 29 tie. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) pulls down a touchdown reception against the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) dives into the end zone for a touchdown reception against the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) hands off to running back Jamaal Williams (30) in the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) is flushed out of the pocket in the third quarter againt the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby (2) misses a field goal late in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby (2) reacts after missing a field goal late in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game went into overtime. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings’ Stefon Diggs hauls in a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter with Green Bay Packers cornerback Davon House in pursuit during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings' Stefon Diggs on the recieving end of a catch and run tuchdown inthe fourth quarter against Green Bay Packers' Davon House during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings' Stefon Diggs on the recieving end of a catch and run tuchdown inthe fourth quarter against Green Bay Packers' Davon House during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham (80) breaks away on a long reception against Minnesota Vikings defensive back Andrew Sendejo (34) and cornerback Mackensie Alexander (20) in the third quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers' Jamaal Williams catches a pass in the flats in front of the defense of Minnesota Vikings' Harrison Smith during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Minnesota Vikings' Laquon Treadwell cross the goal line in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers' Davante Adams crosses the goal line in the first half against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham (80) can't make a catch against Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ben Gedeon (42) in the second quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham (80) can't make a catch against Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ben Gedeon (42) in the second quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) reacts to a missed field goal attempt by the Minnesota Vikings late in the second quarter during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) scores a touchdown in the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) scores a touchdown in the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) celebrates a touchdown with a Lambeau Leap in the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during their football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers cornerback Josh Jackson (37) recovers a blocked punt for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, September 16, 2018 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WIs. Jim Matthews/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Green Bay Packers quarterback DeShone Kizer (9) warms up on the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, September 16, 2018 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WIs. Jim Matthews/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

Neighbors Jake Imig and Lily Sota read a book together while helping to park cars on Wildwood Ln. before the Green Bay Packers host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

David "Sir Gunnar" Gunderson of Minneapolis is fired up before the Green Bay Packers play against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis

This is one that could come back to bite the Green Bay Packers in December.

No, they didn’t lose to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. But they had too many chances to put the game away to feel even OK about a 29-29 tie.

What should have been a big early-season win against their main NFC North Division rival with Aaron Rodgers playing one-legged, instead turned into a big nothing burger.

“Close to an ‘L,’ ” is how Rodgers described it. “Doesn’t feel great.”

Of course Minnesota can say it should have won, too. Kicker Daniel Carlson missed a chip-shot 35-yard field goal as time ran out in overtime. That blew the game, too.

But the Packers led pretty much the entire game and had several chances to win this one before Carlson’s miss, so whatever relief they felt walking off Lambeau Field, there’s no getting around that they should have been celebrating a 2-0 start and a winning effort by their injured quarterback against what figures to be one of the best defenses in the NFL.

This league is all about offense, and when you get the chance to put a game away with points, you have to do it. Yet the Packers and Rodgers had four great chances in the final 3½ minutes and overtime and failed to come through.

Twice they had the ball deep in Minnesota territory with the chance to put the game out of reach with a touchdown and couldn’t get in the end zone. On the first, Rodgers had to throw the ball away on third-and-6 because of pressure from defensive linemen Everson Griffen and Sheldon Richardson. On the second, a gifted tipped-ball interception by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix that gave them the ball on Minnesota’s 13, the Packers went three-and-out with a delay-of-game penalty mixed in.

Then with no timeouts and only 31 seconds left in regulation, Rodgers moved the Packers into field goal range, only to have Mason Crosby miss from 52 yards.

And in overtime, Rodgers short circuited with the Packers on the cusp of Crosby’s range for the game-winning field goal. Rodgers lost 1 yard when he botched the keep and fumbled on a run-pass option, then held the ball against a blitz and was sacked for a 7-yard loss on third down.

“I’m definitely (running for) a first down, and we’re inside 50-yard field goal range,” Rodgers said of his fumble.

Then there’s also the big unnecessary roughness against Clay Matthews in the final 2 minutes that I’m sure has Packers fans apoplectic. It wiped out a game-clinching interception and kept alive Kirk Cousins to take the Vikings to the game-tying score. Referee Tony Corrente said after the game he penalized Matthews because he “lifted (Cousins) up and drove him into the ground.”

That call looked shaky on replay, and no question, it was a big call. But really, the Packers can’t squawk too much or say it cost them the game. They still had their chances to get a stop or prevent the two-point conversion and didn’t come through.

And let’s face it, even if erring on the side of protecting the passer hurt them in this instance, in the long run it works very much in their favor. Rodgers is going to take fewer hard hits, which should help him play both longer and healthier. And by the way, the emphasis for protecting quarterbacks is there in large part because of the shot he took from Anthony Barr last year that broke his collarbone.

The thing the Packers can feel best about is that Rodgers appears to have come out of the game no worse for having played one week after injuring his left knee. There really was doubt early in the week whether he’d play because of stiffness and soreness in the knee, but by the time he practiced Saturday, it was clear to him and the team he would be able to play.

There were conflicting national reports about the exact nature of the injury — one said it was cartilage damage but no sprained ligaments, the other said it was a deep bone bruise and ligament strain. Rodgers wouldn’t comment after the game, so it’s still not clear what the injury is.

But he appeared to come out without overtly aggravating the injury on any of the several hits he took. He also showed a little more mobility than he had last week after returning from the injury in the second half against Chicago. He answered a big question in the first half when he scrambled for a first down, and the fact that he wanted to keep the ball on the RPO suggested that while he clearly was limited, he wasn’t feeling that bad in the heat of battle.

There’s no reason to think he won’t be able to keep playing and continue getting healthier week after week, though it could be a long couple of months for him.

“It’s the type of thing that could linger, but we’ll see,” Rodgers said.

But if Rodgers playing is reason for the Packers to feel good about the rest of the season, they still blew a great chance to win this one. A tie is better than losing, but there were important tiebreaker implications at stake, and the Packers failed to seize them.

A win would have ensured they could do no worse than split with the Vikings if they tie for the division crown and put them in position for a huge sweep. It also would have given them a 2-0 record in the division, which is the second tiebreaker.

All in all, there was a big win for the taking in tough circumstances, and the Packers didn’t take it.